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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Korean leaders issue peace call | Korean leaders issue peace call |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The leaders of North and South Korea have signed a joint declaration calling for a permanent peace deal on the Korean Peninsula. | The leaders of North and South Korea have signed a joint declaration calling for a permanent peace deal on the Korean Peninsula. |
| South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and his counterpart, Kim Jong-il, issued the declaration after a three-day historic summit in Pyongyang. | |
| They called for international talks to discuss a treaty to replace the armistice that ended the Korean War. | They called for international talks to discuss a treaty to replace the armistice that ended the Korean War. |
| They also agreed economic steps, like resuming cross-border freight service. | They also agreed economic steps, like resuming cross-border freight service. |
| The summit is only the second ever between leaders of the two nations. | The summit is only the second ever between leaders of the two nations. |
| 'Permanent peace' | 'Permanent peace' |
| Mr Roh and Mr Kim shook hands and drank a toast after they signed the eight-point declaration. | Mr Roh and Mr Kim shook hands and drank a toast after they signed the eight-point declaration. |
| THE TWO KOREAS 1910: Korean Peninsula colonised by Japan1945: Divided into US-backed South and Soviet-backed North1950-1953: Korean War, no peace deal signed1987: North Korea bombs a South airliner, killing 1151990s: South Korea introduces conciliatory Sunshine Policy2000: Kim Jong-il and Kim Dae-jung hold first leaders' summit2007: Kim Jong-il and Roh Moo-hyun hold second leaders' summit Gifts spur DVD diplomacy | |
| "The South and North share the view that they should end the current armistice system and build up a permanent peace system," the declaration said. | "The South and North share the view that they should end the current armistice system and build up a permanent peace system," the declaration said. |
| It called for leaders of nations concerned to meet on the Korean Peninsula and agree an end to the 1950-1953 war. | It called for leaders of nations concerned to meet on the Korean Peninsula and agree an end to the 1950-1953 war. |
| Any such talks would likely involve the US and China, which, along with North Korea, signed the armistice that ended the war. | |
| South Korea did not sign and remains technically at war with the North. | |
| The two sides also agreed to resume freight rail services across the heavily fortified border, for the first time in more than five decades. | The two sides also agreed to resume freight rail services across the heavily fortified border, for the first time in more than five decades. |
| Agreements were also reached on establishing a joint fishing zone in the disputed western sea border and on holding regular summits, although no timetable was given for these. | |
| More reunions between families divided by the partitioning of the Korean Peninsula would be held, the declaration said. | |
| Leaders of the two Koreas have met only once before, when the South Korean leader, Kim Dae-jung, visited North Korea in 2000. | |
| That meeting triggered improved cross-border dialogue and more economic cooperation. | |
| Nuclear deal | |
| The declaration comes a day after officials involved in international talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear programme revealed that Pyongyang had committed to a timetable to disable its nuclear facilities. | |
| Pyongyang has already closed its main Yongbyon reactor in return for aid. | |
| It has now formally committed to disabling the reactor and related sites, and fully disclosing all aspects of its nuclear programme by the end of the year. | |
| A US-led team of experts is to go to North Korea in the next two weeks to begin the process. | |
| The final crucial phase of the deal - where North Korea surrenders its existing nuclear stockpile - is due to be implemented next year. | |
| US President George W Bush has welcomed the agreement, but Japan - one of the six countries involved in the talks - remained cautious. | |
| On Thursday its ruling party backed extending sanctions against North Korea, citing a lack of progress in a row over Japanese nationals abducted by Pyongyang. | |
| North Korea carried out its first nuclear test in October 2006. |